Insulated-conductor terminal



' 1,645,539 Oct. 18, 1927. E A MAU INSULATED CONDUCTOR TERMINAL Filed July 15, 1922 Qawemtoz Patented Oct. 18, 1927 I 5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD A. MAU, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, 'ASSIGNOR TO ROCKBESTOS- PROD UCTS CORPORATION, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

INSULATED-CONDUCTOR TERMINAL.

Application filed July 15,

The present invention relates to electric nonductors and more particularly to the connecting ends or tips of insulated conductors.

Conductor ends or tipshave usually been made heretofore by drawing or pushing the end of the insulating sheath or covering away from the endof the conductor to expose a short length of the conductor and thereupon winding a small wire tightly around the end of the insulating sheath to hold it firmly in place. The end of the con ductor was then inserted into a socket of a connector of the pin or claw type, in which a small amount of molten solder was'placed to embed the end of the conductor and hold the connector and tip in assembled position and for making contact between the conductor and the connector tip. The winding of the wire about the end of the insulating casing, however, was a somewhat difficult operation especially with conductors of small diameters, requiring considerable hand labor and resulted in tips and connectors of variable and frequently inferior workmanship.

An object of the present invention is to provide a connector tip for insulated conductors which is cheap to manufacture and which provides a strong, effective connection with the conductor and its insulation.

Another object of the invention is to provide an insulated conductor having a tip crimped to the insulation to hold the insulation firmly in relation to the exposed end of the conductor and to permit a connectorto be soldered to the tip.

A further object of the invention is to' provide a connectortip of the above type in which a high, uniform degree of workmanship may be easily obtained.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a method of forming and attaching tips in a single, easily accomplished operation.

Vith these and other objects in view the invention comprises the connector and method of finishing conductor ends and making connectors described in the following specification and claims:

The various features of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a conductor tip showing the insulating sheath or casing drawn back from the end of the conductor and it 1922. Serial No. 575,266.

plate or metal in position to be crimped to the end of the sheath. Fig. 2 is a view of the conductor showing the plate of metal bent around the. end of the insulating sheath and crimpedintoposition.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a finished end and connector of the pin type showing the tip soldered in place in the connector, and,

- Fig; 4; is a sectional view similar to that of Flg. 3 of a claw type of connector.

In the present invention the tip is formed of a plate of tinned copper bent around the lnsulator sheath at its end to enclose the end of the sheath and crimped into place, leaving the end of the conductor free and projecting from the end of the sheath and tip and in position to be inserted into a connector and soldered in place. The tip is formed by drawing the sheath back from the end of the conductor in the usual mannor to expose a length of the conductor, placing a face of the plate against the surface of the insulator sheath adjacent its end. and bending the plate around the insulator by means of a suitable crimping or bending tool or machine. This forms, in a single, easily performed operation, a strong smooth tip which may be easily and neatly inserted into a connector and soldered into place.

Referring more particularly to the accom panying drawings, the end of an insulating covering 10 of .plaited or woven structure is drawn or forced back from the end of a wire 11 to expose a short end portion-12 of the wire. The end portion of the'insulating covering is then placed on one face of a small -metal plate 13. as illustrated in Fig. 1, which isrthen bent around the outer surface of the covering and crimped tightly thereon to form a smooth or continuous metal tip firmly held on the end of the insulating covering as shown in Fig. 2. The end 12 of the wire extends beyond the end of the tip in such a manner that it exposes a surface which may be soldered. to the inner face of a con nector into which the tip may be inserted.

The metal plate may be provided withteeth,

or lugs 14 projecting inwardly from theinner face of the tip into the fabric of the insulating covering to more firmly hold the tip on thecovering. In crimping the tip on the end ofthe insulating covering it preferamy tapered or narrowed at the end nearest the exposed portion 12 or" the wire so that it may be more easily inserted into a socket or cover in which it is to be fastened and also to aid in clamping the wire securely.

The tipped end may then be inserted into a suitable socket in a pin type of connector 15 such as that shown in Fig. 3 into which a small amount of molten solder 16 has been placed which when 0001 holds or solders the end 12 of the wire to the inner wall of the socketand forms an electric contact between the wire and connector. The cooling of the solder to the required extent is quickly accomplished by the rapid carrying away of heatb the tinned copper tip. On the other hand, a connector of the type illustrated in Fig. 4 may be used in which case the tipped end of the wire is placed in the hollow of partly bent bands or arms 17 of aconnector s'ueh as that shown in Fig. l, into which a small amount of molten solder 18 is placed and which are then crimped onto the tip and end of the wire to hold it firmly'in position. It will be understood that a wide Variety of types and forms of connectors may be used or in some cases the tip may be so arranged to act as a connector element.

Through the invention described above conductor wires may be finished and tipped in a single operation which may be easily performed with a minimum of labor. The tips formed in this manner, moreover are very nearly uniform as the plates from which they are made are all of approximately the same size and undergo a uniform bending.

Having described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 15:

1. A device of the kind described which comprises a metal wire having an insulating covering, metallic plate crimped around the end portion of said insulating covering to form a conical tip exposing the end of said Wire, and a connector member having a socket receiving said tip and soldered to the end of said wire.

2. A- device of the kind described which comprises a metal wire having an insulating covering, a tinned copper plate crimped around the end portion of said insulating covering to form a conical 'tip' with an exposed and of the wire projecting therefrom and a connector member having a portion enclosing said tip and soldered to the end of said wire. i

3.1%; device of the kind described which comprises a metal wire'havin'g an insulating covering and a metal plate crimped around the end portion of said covering to form a conical tip and to permit a small length of said wire to be exposed.

4. An insulated stranded conductor terminal comprising a bared endof a stranded conductor extending beyond an end portion of its insulation covering, a metallic plate wrapped about the end portion of said insulation covering and a portion of the bared stranded conductor end, to retain the insulation relatively thereto and to bind the strandsof said conductor together, said metallic plate when in such position presenting a conicalshape, with its small end about the stranded conductor, a member having a sleeve-like portion adapted to receive the stranded conductor ends and the conical shaped plate thereabout, and means within the sleeve-like portion of said member and in contact with the conical shaped plate and the stranded conductor end to mechanically and electrically interconnect said parts.

5. An insulated stranded conductor terminal comprising a bared end of a stranded conductor extending beyond an end portion of its insulation covering, a conical shaped sleeve about the end portion of said insulation covering and 'aportion of the bared stranded conductor end, to retain the insulation relatively thereto, and to bind the strands of said conductor together, a member having a sleeve-like portion adapted to receive the stranded conductor ends and the conical shaped sleeve, and means within the sleeve portion of said member and in contact with the conical shaped sleeve and the stranded conductor end to mechanically and electrically interconnect said parts.

6. An insulated stranded conductor terminal comprising a bared end of a stranded conductor extending beyond an end portion of its insulation covering, a conical. shaped sleeve about the end portion of said insulation. covering and a portion of the bared stranded conductor end toretain the insulation relatively thereto, and to bind the strands of said conductor together, means extending from said conical shaped sleeve into engagement with said insulation covering to secure the same thereto, a memberliaving a sleeve like portion adapted to re ceive the stranded conductor ends and the conical shaped sleeve. and means within the sleeve portion oi said member and in contact with the conical shaped sleeve and the stranded conductor end to mechanically and electrically interconnect said parts.

EDWARD A. MAU. 

